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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

At Least 295 Missing as Ferry Sinks off the Coast of South Korea

At least 295 people are still unaccounted for as efforts continue to rescue passengers aboard a South Korean ferry that sank off the country’s south-west coast on Wednesday morning.

Officials said two of the ship’s 476 passengers, which included more than 300 children, of which 164 have been rescued. The South Korean coast guard confirmed two dead but there were fears that many passengers may have been trapped inside the vessel as it listed and sank.

Rescue helicopters flying over the passenger ship Sewol as it sinks in waters off South Korea's southwestern coast on Wednesday.

Dozens of coastguard and navy vessels were battling to rescue passengers, including 325 high school pupils and their teachers. A major rescue operation is now underway involving more than 30 coast
guard and military ships, as well as about a dozen helicopters.

The two dead passengers were described as a female crew member in her early 20s and a man who died in hospital.

South Korean coastguards on the rescue operation around the stricken passenger ferry Sewol on Wednesday.

Early reports by some South Korean media indicated that all 338 high school pupils and their teachers were safe following a huge rescue operation involving civilian and military vessels, and helicopters.

But as reports emerged that two people were dead, YTN, a major TV network, withdrew the report and said it had yet to confirm the safety of all of the members of the school party.

The area had been shrouded in fog overnight, leading to the cancellation of many ferry services to islands. But news reports said visibility in the area was fair on Wednesday morning.

Coastguards rescuing passengers and crew aboard the South Korean ferry
Sewol which sank on Wednesday on its way to Jeju island from Incheon.

Rescued passengers, wrapped in blankets, being brought onto land in Jindo after the ferry disaster.

A total of 18 helicopters and 34 rescue boats have been sent to the
area, Lee Gyeong-og, a government vice minister, told a televised news
conference. He added that the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye had
urged rescue teams to do their utmost to save everyone on board.
Culled from TheGuardian.com